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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pass — a permit
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pop — to visit
  9. net — for catching
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pop — music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. vault — a safe
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pop — soda
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com